


six times Steve needed Tony's help, and one time Tony needed Steve's.

by mybffbatman



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Technology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 12:35:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20796719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mybffbatman/pseuds/mybffbatman
Summary: Ever since waking up, or defrosting as some people crudely called it, Steve had been doing his best to try and figure out the new world himself. Not to toot his own horn or anything, but he had been doing a pretty good job of it. There had been a lot of books to read, and the tech people at shield headquarters had taught him the basics. The internet, search engines, how to use Email, and the general idea of a cellular phone. A lot of it, they told him, would come to him from just daily exposure, and Steve believed them.Then aliens attacked from outer space and Steve was just sort of thrust into the new world, with new people -new friends-  and kind of lost any acceptable wading into the whole technology thing time. So now, here he was, in a high tech world, just trying to figure everything out, and for the most part those tech guys were right. Watch Clint turn on and off the television enough times and you sort of get the idea.





	six times Steve needed Tony's help, and one time Tony needed Steve's.

The first time Steve speaks to Tony alone, after moving into the tower, is actually to ask for help. Technical Help. It's pretty much an accident, or at the very least a meeting of convenience. Tony just happens to be the first person he see's when he ventures down into the kitchen seeking help. Steve knows they aren't exactly on the best of terms, not they were on bad terms, just awkward terms. At the end of the day, they were still on the same team though, and that had to count for something.

Besides, they were trying to be friends, and what else were friends for, if not to help.

Ever since waking up, or defrosting as_ some_ people crudely called it, Steve had been doing his best to try and figure out the new world himself. Not to toot his own horn or anything, but he had been doing a pretty good job of it. There had been a lot of books to read, and the tech people at shield headquarters had taught him the basics. The internet, search engines, how to use Email, and the general idea of a cellular phone. A lot of it, they told him, would come to him from just daily exposure, and Steve believed them.

Then aliens attacked from outer space and Steve was just sort of thrust into the new world, with new people, _new friends_, and kind of lost any acceptable 'wading into the whole technology thing' time. So now, here he was, in a high tech world, just trying to figure everything out, and for the most part those tech guys were right. Watch Clint turn on and off the television enough times and you sort of get the idea.

Unfortunately, however, his phone was acting up, the tiny little brick of glass and light metals was malfunctioning and he had no exposure to refer to. Steve had tried to ignore the little red bubbles that popped up over his applications, but they he started getting little messages about cloud space, and his head just couldn't quire wrap around why a phone would be trying to warm him about the space in a _cloud_. Defeated, he headed down to the common floor of the Avengers Tower and hopes someone would be there to help.

That someone, sitting at the kitchen table, drinking bitter coffee and completely enthralled in whatever he was flicking through on his Stark Tablet, was Tony, who was so blissfully unaware that Steve was about to happen to him. Steve almost felt bad. Almost.

But from what Steve had read about the man - some true, mostly not, at least not the bad things, much to Steve's Surprise - he was incredibly smart, generous, and a lot more kind than Steve could have ever imagined. 

The new world would probably never stop surprising him.

Steve cleared his throat, as if to announce his arrival into the kitchen, and his best attempt at drawing in Tony's attention. 

"Hey there, Cap." Tony greeted, not even bothering to look up from his tablet, as if he knew that Steve had been standing there the entire time. 

"Hey Star- Uh, Tony?" Steve tried to keep his cool, but he knew if he held onto his phone any longer, he might end up crushing it, in pure defeat. "I hate to bother you, but do you have a minute?"

At this request, Tony set his tablet flat down on the table, and turned to give Steve his full attention. "Sure." He spoke carefully, eyeing the blonde and the tiny black square in his hand. "What's on your mind?"

Like a wave of relief washed over him, Steve let out a breath he didn't realize he was even holding. "I'm having phone troubles." He admitted, rather sheepishly.

It took Tony a second, but his shoulders dropped, as if releasing preventative tension, and then he held out his palm. "Let me see."

"It all started with this little red bubble that wouldn't go away." Steve sighed, relinquishing the phone, before pulling a seat from the other side of the table. "Then it said something about clouds and now..." After taking a seat, Steve sighed once again. "now it keeps saying something about data?" 

Tony's lips pulled flat, as if he was trying very hard not to laugh, but Steve decided not to read into it. Thankfully, he seemed to swallowing back whatever was bubbling up before flicking his finger over the screen and opening the phone up. "The data thing likely means you need to upgrade your phone plan, and maybe start using the tower Wifi, like I told you to do a month ago." Tony glanced up at Steve, checking to see if he was listening. "You know all of these problems would be solved if you'd just let me upgrade you to a Stark phone."

Steve rolled his eyes, he had heard non-stop about hoe great the new Stark Phone was, since it had been released to the public a few months ago, but he was already trying to live with change, he didn't need new change to his change already. "Can you help me with this phone, or not?" 

"I can." Tony replied plainly, looking back down at the phone in his hand. "The red bubbles are just updates." He swiped his fingers over the screen again and then it flickered black before lighting up bright and white. "Let it reload and the bubble over your settings will be gone, you'll need to go into the app store and do updates for the other apps." Tony placed the phone on to the table before sliding it back to Steve.

"And the cloud messages?" Steve asked, not bothering to look up from his restating phone. 

There was a hint of a sigh in Tony's words as he spoke, but Steve knew to ignore it, after all Tony was currently doing him a favor, now was not the time to start one of their famous arguments. "Your phone uses something called the cloud to sort of, back up your phones information." Tony chose his words carefully as he explained just how the cloud worked, but he didn't bother dumbing it down too much, and honestly, Steve was thankful for that. 

"Thanks Tony." Steve opened up his phone as if fully restarted, relieved to see some red bubbles missing, and knowing just how to fix the rest of them now. 

"Any time." And Tony almost sounded like he meant it, even offering a tight smile, before reaching for his coffee and tablet at the time time, and going back to whatever it was he was doing before Steve happened. 

**8888888888**

Speaking to Tony outside of battle or a mission was rare, and when it did happen it was always in a group setting, over a shared meal, or a briefing, maybe the occasional night they all happened to be home at the same time, but always with other people around. Which is why, the second time Steve needed technical help, he felt stupid for immediately thinking of Tony. But, Tony had said any time, and he of course was the only other person still awake in the tower. It didn't help that it was nearly two thirty in the morning, a time when regular people sleep, and Tony was not regular people.

Not regular like Steve, who should have been sleeping, instead of getting himself locked out of his Shield email account. Steve huffed as he slammed the lid of his laptop down, a little too hard, but not caring that he absolutely, for sure, just cracked the screen -_ again_ \- before staring up at the ceiling. Because he still hadn't gotten used to the whole voice in the walls situation.

"Jarvis, is anyone else awake right now?"

"Mister Stark is in his workshop, Captain." 

In one swift movement, Steve swooped up his laptop and marched off to the elevators. By the time the elevator slowed to the workshop floor, most of his initial frustration had subsided, and he had convinced himself that it could all probably just wait until the morning. A mission report was safe within the locked out email, and he could just take it into headquarters. He could, but just the thought of facing those holier than thou tech agents in Shield Headquarters actually made him cringe, the way they looked at him with pity was just not worth it, And the elevator was already opening, and those large glass doors into Tony's shop were awfully clear.

Tony's eyebrows lifted in question immediately as he watched the barefoot super soldier step out of the elevator, looking almost as surprised as he was. He watched Steve carefully, as he sat up in his chair, and asked Jarvis to mute his extremely loud music. Steve would wonder how it didn't radiate through the entire tower sometimes, but it was Tony and there were far more mysterious things about him than how he managed good soundproofing.

"Something the matter, Cap?" Tony greeted, as Steve stepped into the workshop doors, the laptop firmly pressed into his chest.

"How could you guess." Steve manged to deadpan, making his way to the workbench Tony sat behind, suddenly wishing he had through the whole thing though, even just enough to have remembered a pair of shoes. 

"It's not often I get visitors this late." Tony grinned, which only outlined the grease he had up his cheek and around his forehead, he looked completely disheveled in a way Steve had never seen before, and to be honest, Steve kind of liked it.

"Guess it's your lucky night then." Steve gently placed down the lap top, the source of all his problems. "I can't get into my Shield email account, it keeps saying something about too many password tries."

Tony narrowed his eyes at Steve "You mean you forgot your password."

"Well I wouldn't have if they made it something I could remember!" Steve raised his hands, feeling the frustration bubble back up. "I mean I get the whole Capitalized letters and numbers thing, but I swear to God they didn't even use a real word, and then they wouldn't let me write it down."

"Yeah, that's a security no-no." Tony nodded to himself, spinning the laptop to face himself and prying open the top. His lips pursed at the cracked screen, before he glanced back up at Steve. "A little pent up aggression?"

"You have no idea." Lying at this point in his life, would benefit no one, so Steve just put his head in his hands. "Can you please help me?"

A small smile met Tony's lips as he stared down at Steve's laptop screen. "Probably." he replied, before beginning to type. "I mean, breaking into Shield's online database isn't exactly difficult, I'm sure I can re-set your password to something a little more memorable, if you'd like."

"I would - Yes. Please." Steve sighed, letting his cheek press into his palm, and his elbow rest against the cool metal of Tony's workbench, allowing himself a second to relax, or try to. He found himself staring at Tony as he worked, zoning into the task at hand, like always, almost oblivious to his surroundings. Which in a workshop as advanced as his was a feat in its own. Steve reminded himself it's not polite to stare, and turned his attention to said shop. The space itself was quiet magnificent, he hadn't obviously, spent a lot of time in there, so he gave himself permission to take it in while he could. There were projects spread out all over the place, some clear in what they were going to be, Steve could spot new Widow Bites from across the room, but some - most - were less obvious.

Steve's favorite part of the shop by far though would have to be the robots. He had spent many nights as a sick weak kid, thinking about the day robots would rule the world. Dum-E was his favorite of all, and he was tucked away in the corner with a broom in his clamp, blissfully sweeping away at what appeared to be nothing but the concrete floor. Steve wanted to know more about them, but only ever found himself in the workshop to intrude on whatever it was Tony was doing. Like now, at two thirty in the morning.

"What are you doing up so late?"

"Hmm?" Tony pulled his attention from the laptop, clearly enthralled in whatever it was he was doing. "Oh-" he replied, as if his brain had just caught up to him. "I don't sleep well anymore." The honesty was not something Steve had expected and Tony must have noticed the look on his face because he offered a kind smile and shrugged. "You know the whole solo trip to space with a nuke on my back, and then Pepper leaving kind of left me in a rough spot, so now when I can't sleep. I work." He looked back down at the laptop, his fingers continuing to move across the keyboard, quicker than Steve had ever seen. 

"I'm sorry." Steve wasn't sure what part of it he was apologizing for, but it didn't seem to matter to Tony.

"The real question here Spangles -" Tony said behind a mischievous smile. "Is what were you doing up so late? and on your computer no less. Making up for lost time?"

There was an innuendo in there somewhere, but Steve couldn't place it. "Well since we're being honest." He straightened himself up on his feet. "I sometimes don't sleep very well either, the whole plane crash, frozen alive in ice thing, you know." 

Tony nodded in commiseration. "We're damaged goods, Rogers." then he smirked, pressing hard on the enter button, before twisting the laptop to face Steve, clearly logged into the Shield inbox. "I changed your password to something a little easier to remember." 

Steve eyed the laptop, he did not like the look of the smirk on Tony's lips. "Which is?"

"Ironman, number sign, one." Tony held up a dirty finger, demonstrating that he did in fact mean the number one.

"You're awful." Steve was frowning, but for the first time in their very tense relationship, he didn't actually have any fire behind it.

"Maybe." Tony raised a shoulder innocently. "But I bet you wont forget your password again."

Steve pushed himself away from the work bench, grabbing his laptop as he moved, knowing it was time to head back to his room, to accomplish his work, not because he was actually beginning to enjoy talking to Tony. "Thank you, again."

"Hey Steve." Tony called out, just catching Steve before he made it to the elevator bay. "You know if you ever want help, technical or other I am always here, I've been told I can be an Okay-ish teacher."

Steve just nodded, before stepping into the elevator and disappearing back to his room. 

**8888888888**

Tony, after some time, was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe he and Steve could actually be friends. They were starting to talk more and argue less, they actually seemed to get along, and to the surprise of everyone they actually had quite a bit in common. Yes, if Tony really thought about it, he could classify them as _friends_. And when friends need help, you help - even when you really don't want to, right?

Tony had only stumbled up the stairs for more sustenance in the form of black bitter delicious liquid after a plenty of hours work binge. He was just going to steal the pot and run, but well, Tony Stark was a lot of things, but completely heartless was not one of them. 

Steve didn't even notice him, he could have come and gone without even the slightest detection. But, to be fair, Steve wouldn't have noticed anyone enter the room, not with the way he was so intently shooting daggers with his eyes at the television and grumbling to himself. It was an odd situation, and normally Tony tried to avoid those, but something was wrong, and he just couldn't let it be. No matter how much he wanted to.

"What did she ever do to you?" Tony asked, trying for amused since he was usually on the receiving end of those eye daggers, and it was nice not to be. His words, not so obviously, startled Steve, but the only way to tell being the blondes shoulders tense up at being caught. Something Tony had picked up on working along side him after so many months. He had not been staring longingly at Steve when no one would notice, nope, pinky swear it. 

"She?" Steve asked, glancing at Tony, now with his face all knotted up in frustration, and confusion, and Tony kinda liked it. 

"Yes." Tony moved around the couch, and looked down at the array of removed that Steve had lined up on the coffee table. Various sizes and shapes, and a great hint at what it was that causing all the frustration. "Most electronics are female, you can tell because you need to be gentle with them, give them love and support-" He looked up from the remotes to the black TV, piecing the situation together. " - And if you fuck up once they'll never let you hear the end of it."

"I'm just going to assume you're making sense." Steve grumbled. "I don't even know what's going wrong this time."

"And if you don't know, she's not going to tell you." Tony sighed, as if speaking from experience, and he may have been, before nudging Steve's legs, silently asking him to shove over, which he did, allowing Tony to squish himself into the newly opened couch space. "Why don't we start with what you were trying to do?"

Steve scratched his head, debating if it was even worth it at this point, but Tony smiled his stupid smile and all of his defenses fell. "I just wanted to turn it on." he pointed down to the various remotes. "I pressed the big red button on the big one but nothing happened, and then I noticed the other remote, and tried that one, but" he shrugged. "Look I know enough that you press the power button and it should turn on, but it didn't"

"So you dug out every remote you could find?" Tony's eyebrows raised in question before he chuckled down at the remote collection. It was pretty stupid to have six different remotes for one system, and Tony couldn't fault Steve for being annoyed with it. And yes, he could have just told Steve to ask Jarvis to turn it on and that would have worked just fine, but he knew Steve, he knew the guy liked to do things himself, the old school way. So instead of pointing out the obvious Tony decided he was going to have to do this the hard way. "I am going to need you to forget everything you think you know about remotes for a second."

"Consider it done." Steve grimaced.

Carefully, Tony pointed out the different remotes and what they were for, making a point to clarify which one was for the TV, meaning the only one that really mattered. He found himself describing how inputs worked, and how if Clint was up here, playing Mario Kart again, he probably forgot to switch the input over to cable so- it took a few tries, but once Steve got into pressing the right buttons, and watching for the right lights to light up the Television came to life.

Tony never did consider that one day he would be teaching someone how to use a remote control, but here he was, and it had worked. However he was already envisioning a new and improved remote - a sort of all in one system.

"Technology is stupid." Steve mumbled, flicking through the channels, now that the television was working, stopping on CNN.

"Don't you go blaming technology." Tony feigned offence. "She's done a lot for us over the years, it's not her fault you were busy getting freezer burnt for most of it."

Steve just smirked. "So Technology is female too?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Just assume anything that frustrates you is female." He found himself leaning back into the couch cushions and let a yawn fall from his lips, hours in the shop finally catching up to him. "Also anything that brings you joy, or goes fast."

"Got it." Steve replied, his attention on the newscaster on the screen. All this trouble just to watch the news, maybe Tony wasn't too far off his his comparison, Steve never did have good luck with girls in his time, it would only make sense that this be his luck in the future.

It didn't take long for Tony to fall asleep next to him and with the state of the current news, Steve couldn't blame him.

**8888888888**

"So segregation ended in the sixties, right?" Steve pulled a hand down his face, looking up at the holographic screen above Tony's head. A collection of videos and news articles displayed just for him. An attempt to help him understand his current predicament.

  
"Right." Tony was still tinkering with his armor, already fully aware of the current state of the country, with a firm understanding of why exactly they were about to suit up and go talk to a group of high school kids.

Steve's eyes scanned over the different headlines that Jarvis was feeding him. "And being gay, that's no longer illegal, right?"

"Correct again, Captain. Well, mostly." Tony sighed at his armor, twisting something around the inside of one of his gauntlets, causing an uncomfortable snapping sound, which just made Tony sigh again.

"Then why the hell do we have to explain to teenagers why being prejudice is _not_ okay?" Steve narrowed his eyes at the screen. "And that bulling is.. bad?" he had his fair share of bullies growing up, it was a well known fact that Captain America stood up to bullies, hell it had been his tag line in the war. But the fact it was the day and age of the zero tolerance policy and this shit was still happening baffled him. Even worse that he had to go out and remind people that it was bad.

"We have chimpanzees in power." Tony replied plainly, scrubbing a hand over his forehead, leaving a trail of dirt as he did. "The majority of the population will tell you that they don't see the color of people's skin, or other religions don't bother them, and that being Gay is A-O-K, and for the most part they mean it." He finally pulled his eyes up to look at his confused and angry friend. "But stumble into the wrong state at the wrong time and you will find that a lot of people are still terribly old fashioned."

"I was never this bad." Steve protested, before he motioned to the screen of horrors above him. "This is not old fashioned Tony, holding a door open for a girl is old fashioned, asking someone to go steady is old fashioned this-" and Tony swore he heard Steve's voice raise an octave and crack. "This is not old fashioned." 

"Alright, okay, calm down. how about, people are still stuck in the dark ages?" Tony figured that was a better alternative. "Our politicians are too busy fighting over whether or not a woman has enough brain power to be in charge of her own body, they don't really have time to waste on equal rights for everyone."

"They what?" Steve's face twisted into disgust before he found himself pinching the bridge of his nose, nearly vibrating with frustration. "They should have left me frozen." 

At this Tony barked out a laugh, deep and honest, and it almost made Steve crack a smile. Almost - would have it he wasn't so suddenly depressed.

"Listen Capsicle." Tony grabbed a cloth and managed to wipe his hands clean before slapping one on Steve's back. "I for one am grateful that you were defrosted and get to face a hoard of teenagers with me for it." he peered up at the screen that was causing all these issues, wondering when exactly he became the best person to inform Captain America about the political climate of the world. "Besides, if it's not done by people like us, then who is going to make sure the next generation doesn't fuck it up even worse?"

Steve eyed Tony for a blip before finally giving in and letting the anger leave him with a sigh. "Fine, but you need to stop that."

Tony stiffened, but quickly removed his hand from Steve's back. "Stop what?"

"Stop making sense and being likable." Steve huffed, pretending he didn't notice the space that had suddenly grown between them. "It's so _unlike_ you." 

Another bark of laughter came from Tony, before he moved back to his suit and it let it form around him. "Come on Captain, suit up or we'll be late for school.

**8888888888**

Steve sighed down at his phone, re-reading his last received text message again, and again, and then once more for good measure. Natasha had been trying to set him up on dates, plural, for quite some time now. Steve didn't know why she was so concerned with his love life, but she had said something about him needing to move on in the world, staying occupied and having sex - but Steve didn't understand how any of that had anything to do with his general quality of life. He was busy, when he wasn't literally saving the world, he was smiling for cameras, or volunteering. Between superhero life, and filling out endless paperwork, he barely had time to catch a baseball game or sketch or paint. The last thing he wanted to do during his few peaceful hours off was to have an anxiety attack over where to take a date, what to wear, how to act, what flowers to buy. It just seemed so small in the grand scheme of things.

It didn't help that his only real dating experience had been a few failed first dates with Bucky's dates friends, and then whatever it was he had with Peggy. He wasn't even sure he could consider that dating, and it was literally a life time ago. So much so that these people didn't even really date anymore, they hooked up. They actually sought each other out over the internet, exchanged barely a conversation and then met up, had sex and decided whether or not to do it a second time.

It all seemed kind of gross to Steve. Okay, maybe only a small amount gross, and maybe mostly just intimidating. So every time Natasha threw out another name, he came up with another excuse as to why it wouldn't work. He may be Captain America on the outside, but he was still very much Steven Rogers on the inside, and he just didn't know if he was ready for that.

Which is why when Natasha sent him a text message with the information she used to create him a Tinder, he struggled to come to terms with what that even meant for him. 

Steve didn't want a Tinder. He didn't even know what a _Tinder_ was. But Natasha had sent another text saying she had already made him fifteen matches, and he should log in immediately to see some of the girls. Steve could feel himself begin to panic, what the hell were matches, did he have to take out fifteen girls? he sighed again, but this time louder.

"Something wrong?" Tony finally asked, he had been sitting across from Steve since the first sigh, but as nicely as he had ignored the first one, he wasn't able to let the second one slide. Tony held his pen between his fingers, tapping it expectantly on the boardroom table top. They were both supposed to be completing these Shield reports from their most recent incident in Central Park, _stupid Doom Bots_, and Fury was not going to let them out until they were finished. 

Steve looked up at Tony, and found himself pouting. "What's a Tinder?"

Tony's eyebrows raised as quickly as his eyed widened and then he chuckled, shaking his head and looking back down at the report he really had to finish. It really wasn't his fault that the emailed reports were getting later and later - distraction was a real issue - but Fury had had enough and now they had to complete it manually, a nice team bonding punishment apparently. He really needed to focus, but he really wasn't going to be able to after that inquiry. "I didn't realize you were on the market, Cap."

"I didn't either." Steve replied, before he placed his phone on the table and slid it across towards Tony. "But apparently Natasha is refusing to get that memo."

Tony peeked up and over at the phone, eyes glancing over the text before he smirked. "She really is relentlessness." Tony let out a soft sigh directing his attention back to his report. "Tinder is a dating app, but I'm guessing you already gathered that much from Nat's text." he continued to scribble out onto the paper with his black pen. "Matches just mean that those girls have liked you, and you, or I'm guessing Nat, liked them back so you've been matched." his hand paused but he didn't look up. "Steve, do you want to be dating right now?"

"I don't know." Steve shook his head, because he really didn't. "The problem is, I - uh." He hesitated and it caused Tony to tear his eyes away from his paper. His eyes were soft, but his face was weird, like he was worried to hear the answer, and Steve made a mental note to try and place it, because it was a new one. Nervous and sad at the time time, and just enough of a put off to force Steve to finish his sentence. "Everyone wants to date Captain America, but no one wants to date Steve."

Tony's eyebrows came together, but the nervous look seemed to dissipate. "That can't be true." He sat up in his chair though, dropping his bend and grabbing Steve's phone up off the table instead. "I think people just need a chance to meet Steve, I've met Steve and I'd still date you." 

Steve let out a soft chuckle, ignoring how warm he suddenly felt, watching Tony do, whatever it was he was doing to his phone. "Yeah but Steve has a lot of problems and a lot of baggage."

"So does Tony." The brunette smirked behind the phone and then laughed. "But I guess to be fair, my dates are never that great so maybe I'm a terrible example. Never mind, forget what I said." his thumbs continued to move on the screen. "But if you're not ready to date than you really shouldn't be letting Natasha do all of this to you. Okay - There." Tony slid the phone back over to Steve before picking back up his pen and getting back to his writing as if nothing had just happened. 

Steve took his phone and inspected it, not noticing anything different. "What did you do?"

"I've deleted the account she made for you." Tony once again, didn't bother looking back up from his report. "And even when you are ready to date, I really don't think she should be chucking you into the shark pool of Tinder anyways, those woman will eat you alive."

Steve's phone vibrated, another text from Natasha. _'Tell Stark I say Hi ;)'_ Steve rolled his eyes and decided it best to ignore that. "Maybe I should just start by avoiding women all together."

Tony raised a single eyebrow, but didn't spare a look. "Men are worse." he replied simply. "And you can trust me on that one."

Steve didn't reply, instead he turned his attention to his completely blank report and prayed that Tony wouldn't notice his blush.

**8888888888**

"How did you even get that in here?" Steve stared down at his motorcycle, _his bike_, sitting in the middle of Tony's workshop.

Tony scrubbed his palm with a rag and squinted up at Steve like he had just sprouted a second head, which was completely uncalled for, but Steve would let it slide, This time. And next time, and every single time because it was Tony. 

"it's a motorcycle Steve." Tony spoke slowly, as if that would solve the mystery itself. 

Steve just blinked at Tony, because Seriously. "Tony, how did you get my bike in your shop?"

"The elevator." Tony bent back down over the engine of the bike, like he had been doing before Steve stormed into the workshop.

"You know, when I complained it was running a little funny, I didn't expect-" Steve sighed, pushing his fingers into his forehead, he really should have known better. He really should have expected it at this point. No, he really should have just assumed it would happen. "I have a mechanic." he finished instead. "In Brooklyn, to take care of these sort of things for me."

Tony glanced up from the engine, but looked less than thrilled as he did. "You mean to tell me, that you've been trusting a complete stranger to fix your bike -" he held up a finger to Stop Steve from cutting in like he was just about to do. "No no, a complete stranger from _Brooklyn_ no less, when I'm right here." 

"It's his profession, Tony." Steve sighed. "And I'd like to remind you that I'm from Brooklyn."

"I'm not sure I will ever forgive you for that comment." Tony turned around and grabbed a torque wrench from his tool box, turning back to the bike and crouching behind it. "This is _my_ profession, Steven." he grunted as he tightened something, Steve was sure he'd find out later, and then popped back up, tossing the wrench back into his box and giving his hands one more go over with the rag. "Besides, I'm already done, so Brooklyn can bite me."

"Do you torture everyone else as much as you do to me?" Steve asked, with exasperated fondness, something he had gotten used to using a lot around Tony. His bike looked exactly the same as it had when he left it on the street side, and he knew that this was just what Tony did, he helped, he fixed, he was generous and kind and stubborn, and so Tony.

"Probably not." Tony admitted without even hesitating, wearing that sleek smile that made Steve's heart reach his throat. "But that's because I seem to like you more than everyone else."

"I can tell." Steve replied dryly. "I guess I must like you too, since I keep tolerating it."

Tony's eyebrow quirked as he tucked the dirty rag into the back pocket of his black jeans. "Is that what you're doing? Tolerating my friendship?"

"Just barely." Steve quipped, giving one last glance over his bike. "Can you please just make sure to put her back where you got her?"

"I'll make sure she gets home safe." Tony said with a laugh, sending a wink Steve's way, and doing his best to not mention the flush it sent up the good captains neck.

**8888888888**

Steve couldn't sleep. He had tossed and turned and counted six hundred and some odd sheep. It was somewhere around the time his brain started wondering how blue raspberry became a flavor - because there were no such things as blue raspberries and though raspberry was definitely a flavor,_ blue_ was not - when he decided it was probably best to give up on the whole sleep thing. It wasn't going to happen. So, he did what he normally did on sleepless nights, dressed for a workout, grabbed his water bottle and headed straight down for the gym. 

No one else would be awake, and if they were - it was Tony - and he would be in his shop, elbow deep in grease and metals and that was fine. That was the norm.

Which is why it was so surprising to Steve, when he stumbled into the gym, only to find the one person he least expected to see, awake and running on one of the treadmills. Tony's head snapped in the direction of the doors having heard them open, and stumbled only slightly on the moving belt, before he reached out and slowed the machine. "Sorry Cap." He breathed, as he slowed down to a fast walk. "I wasn't expecting you here so early-" he looked up at the clock on the wall, narrowing his eyes. "Or late. I can get out of your way, if you give me a minute."

"No." Steve blurted, because it wasn't his gym, and also because he didn't want Tony to leave. "It's fine, you won't be in my way or anything." Steve clarified, after his brain caught up with his mouth. 

"Are you sure?" Tony huffed out, trying to catch his breath. "I've seen you work out I don't want to be a distraction."

"It's fine." Tony was always a distraction, didn't matter if it was on a mission, in the kitchen, or sweaty and flushed next to him in the gym. The way the sweat outlined his arm muscles even more than usual, or the way his gym pants were essentially skin tight under armor yoga pants would not change the fact he was a walking distraction. Just might enhance it. Steve cleared his throat, yet again reminding himself it was rude to stare, and decided to hop into the treadmill next to Tony. "I have to be honest I am a little surprised to see you in the gym."

Tony huffed out a laugh, slightly picking back up some speed on the treadmill. "Some of us have to work out, we're not all scientifically shaped like a God."

"I didn't mean-" Steve shook his head with an amused smile, pushing the start button and taking off into a steady job. "I meant usually you spend the middle of your nights mad scientist-ing."

"I do not." Tony jogged easily beside him. "Bruce is the mad scientist, I'm more of the build killer robots sort of guy, Obviously."

"- Oh _Obviously_" Steve repeated with a chuckle. "Problem with a _murder bot_ then?"

"I would have preferred that as a problem." Tony admitted, looking down at his treadmill screen as if the miles run were suddenly too interesting to look away. "I couldn't sleep, and then I couldn't focus on any of my work because I have a very simple problem that I'm struggling to fix, and It's simplicity is killing me, but I just can't get over it."

"Hmm." Steve did Tony the courtesy of looking down at his own treadmill screen. "What is it that's keeping the genius awake then?"

"It's going to sound stupid, and you're just going to think I'm being a poor sulking rich boy." Tony stated matter of factly, but reached out and slowed his treadmill down once again. "But, I can't find a willing date to take to the Maria Stark Fundraiser dinner tomorrow night."

Tony was right, well half right. That was a stupid problem. Steve tried his best to hold back his eye roll, but didn't bother chancing a glance at Tony, just in case he failed at it. "Have you asked Pepper?" he said instead, focusing on his incline.

"Of course." Tony had slowed to a walk now. "She said no because we'd be photographed together and people would think we were dating again, and she doesn't want her new boyfriend to have to handle that."

"Pepper's got a new boyfriend?" This time Steve did look up, just in time to see Tony's very unimpressed look.

"She does, but that doesn't help solve my problem here."

"Sorry. Have you thought of asking one of the hundreds of girls that throw themselves at you every time we walk down the street?" Steve didn't have enough hands to count how many times Women, and the occasional guy even, would scream Tony's name or ask him to sign their bodies, or beg him to take them out on dates. Each and every time Tony would smile his smooth smile and politely decline the dates and the kisses, but stop for every photo and sign every body part offered up to him. "I really am having trouble believing you cant' get a date Tony."

Tony sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "I need a date, not some fame chaser hanging off my arm all night." 

Steve hated seeing Tony upset, and his stomach twisted as he watched the frown meet those beautiful lips. "Well, you haven't asked me to go with you yet."

Tony slowed the treadmill completely, and Steve watched as the corner of his mouth twitched just barely. "Are you saying you want to go on a date?"

"I'm saying you haven't bothered to ask to see if I would." Steve spoke simply, with a very fond eye roll. If he wasn't careful they were going to roll out of his skull.

Tony gave a small laugh, grabbing a towel he had slung over the top of his machine. "Okay, well, Steve, would you like to go on a date with me?"

Steve turned to look at Tony, slowing his treadmill only a fraction. "I would, yeah."

Tony wiped off his face, before throwing the towel over his shoulder. "Are you being serious right now?"

Steve thought about the question for a moment before stopping his treadmill all together. "I would have preferred our first date to be a little more low key, but I could make a fancy dinner work, if you'd be okay with that."

"How about we do lunch tomorrow." Tony said, not even trying to hide the grin breaking out over his face. "Dinner can be our second date, if you've got time?"

"Lunch would be great, Tony." Steve matched the grin. "It's a date."

"It's two dates." Tony corrected, stepping off his treadmill. "You own a tux right? I bet you look incredible in a tux."

Steve once again found himself rolling his eyes in affection, which was something he never figured he'd be doing in response to Tony Stark. 


End file.
